Window operator



June 11,1957 K. s. RODAWAY wmnow OPERATOR Filed Dec. 2a, 1955 wig-w K5172) 3. HapAwa I N V EN TOR United States Patent WINDOW OPERATOR Keith S. Rodaway, Pocoima, Calif., assignor to Hehr Manufacturing Company, a corporation of California Application December 28, 1953, Serial No 400,555

2 Claims. (Cl. 268-105) This invention relates generally to window operating devices and particularly to a device designed for use in connection with pivoted windows for opening and closing the same.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved window operating device which is highly practical and eflicient in operation and one which has particular utility when used in connection with casement and similar pivoting windows, such as may be found in homes and house trailers.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved window operating device which is designed for use in connection with metal windows and frames and which includes a rotary, manually-operable, actuating means located at the inner side of the window frame and an operating gear means for converting the rotary movement to pivotal movement of an arm operatively connected to the window for pivoting the latter on its hinge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a window operating device which is installed against the inner side of the lower horizontal section of the window frame, and has an operating handle rotatable on an axis which may slope inwardly and upwardly away from the plane of the window so as to locate the handle in a position where it may be conveniently operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type indicated in which the driving and driven gears have ring gear teeth on their adjacent faces, the teeth being arranged radially so that intermeshing of the teeth is possible when the axes of these gears are angularly related, said teeth also being positively engaged, each within a tooth space of the other gear when the axes of the gears are arranged coaxially.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class specified which is adapted for economical manufacture, the main elements lending themselves to mass production as die-castings requiring little, if any, machining.

Another object of the invention is to provide a window operator, of the character referred to, in which the operating handle embodies a driving or operating gear which meshes with a similar, driven gear, the driving gear and handle being rotatable on a bearing block or mounting element detachably secured to a housing which encloses the driving mechanism. By employing such a detachable mounting arrangement, bearing blocks having bearing axes extending either coaxially with the driven gear or at an angle thereto may be employed. Consequently, by utilizing an appropriate bearing block, the axis of rotation of the operating handle may be extended in one direction or another from a plane normal to the plane of the window to suit the convenience of the user. According to the invention, this is made possible by providing a bearing block or mounting element having angularlyrelated bearings for the driving and driven gears, said block being mountable against the housing in either of two opposite positions so as to cause the axis of the oper- 7 2,795,413 Patented June 11, 195? ating handle to always slope relative to the axis of the driving gear. Also, by this provision, it is possible to employ a mounting element having coaxial bearings for the driving and driven gears so that the operating handle may rotate about an axis.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description and from the drawing, which is intended for the purpose of illustration only, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional vertical view of a metal window frame and window hinged thereto and showing the present improved window operator device applied to use therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical view of the window operator with certain portions broken away to disclose the internal operating parts;

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing an alternative, angular mounting means for the operating handle;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the angular mounting means of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a casement window employing the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the present improved window operating device is shown as applied to use in connection with a metal window 10 and rectangular window frame 11, the window being shown as hinged to the frame along a top horizontal axis 12. The window is thus adapted to pivot outwardly and upwardly to the open position shown by full lines and inwardly and downwardly to the closed position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1. The metal frame 11 is conventional, having horizontal upper and lower sections and vertical sections of substantially Z cross-sectional shape and a rigid cross-bar 14 intermediate the sides thereof for supporting the window operating device.

The window operating device includes an oblong housing 15 of substantially rectangular box shape which is disposed against the inner surface of the cross-bar 14. As shown, the housing 15 has flanges 16 which are secured against the side of the frame 11 by means of screws 17. It will be noted that the cross-bar 14 and the longitudinal axis of the housing 15 are disposed perpendicular to the pivot axis 12.

The housing 15 carries a vertical pin 18 which extends through the side walls of the housing. Rotatable on the pin 18 is the hub portion 19 of an actuating arm 20. The outer, free end of the arm 20 carries a roller 21 which is slidable in a guide 22 secured to the window 10 (Fig. l). The hub 19 is provided with a worm wheel segment 23.

The housing 15 is provided with a semicircular recess 26 within the lower side thereof and rotatable in said recess is a worm 27 which meshes with the worn wheel segment 23. The worm 27 has a circular flange 28 which is disposed within a counterbore 29 formed in the front side of the housing 15. The worm also has an axial extension 32 which projects outwardly from the counterbore 29, said extension being in the nature of a driven gear provided with radial gear teeth 33 in its end face.

Secured against the side of the housing 15 within a depression thereof is the platelike portion 35 of a mounting element or bearing block 36, the element having an annular pad 37 fitting within the outer end of the counterbore 29. The mounting element has a boss 38 which, in the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3, extends coaxially with the axis of the worm 27. The element 36 has an axial recess 39 and reduced bore 40. The plate portion 35 is secured against the outer surface of the housing 15 by means of screws 42 which pass through diagonally opposite spaced holes 43 in the plate portion (Fig. 5) and which are screwed into threaded holes in the housing.

Rotatable within the recess 39 of the mounting or bearing element 36 is a driving gear 45 having radial gear teeth 46 on its inner face. In the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the gears 32 and 45 are coaxial and the gear teeth 33 and 46 on their adjacent faces mesh completely so that the driving and driven gears are keyed for unitary rotation.

The driving gear 45 has a hub 48 which is rotatable in the bearing hole or bore of the mounting element 36 and also is provided with an axially projecting square end or key 49. The gear has an axial hole 50 and a recess 51 at its inner end.

The device also includes an operating handle 55 by which the driving gear 45 may be rotated. The handle 55 has a hub 56 provided with a square socket 57 and a threaded hole 58. The bearing element 36, gear 45 and handle 55 constitute a sub-assembly or unit which is attachable to the housing 15 by means of the screws 42. To assemble the unit 36, 45, 55, the gear 45 is first placed within the mounting element 36 with its square end 49 projecting from the side of the element. The hub 56 of the handle 55 is next placed against the outer side of the element 36 with the square key 49 of the gear 45 entering the square socket 57. A screw is then inserted through the axial hole 50 of the driving gear 45 with the head of the screw located in the recess 51 thereof. By tightening the screw 65, the parts 36, 45 and 55 are drawn together as shown in Fig. 3 to key the gear and operating handle together while allowing rotation of the gear Within the mounting element. The operating unit 35, 45, 55 is then attached to the housing 15 by the screws 42. With the unit so mounted, its gear 45 meshes with the driven gear 32, as shown.

Assuming that the window 10 is in the open position illustrated in Fig. 1, when it is desired to close the window, the handle 55 is simply rotated in counterclockwise direction. Due to the positive driving connection provided by the teeth 46 and 33, the driven gear 32 and the worm 27 are likewise rotated in counterclockwise direction. Such rotation of the Worm effects counterclockwise rotation of the hub 19 so as to pivot the arm 20 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that illustrated in Fig. 2. As the arm 20 is lowered, the roller 21 rides in the groove 22 of the window so as to close the later against the frame 11.

To open the window, the above procedure is reversed, that is, the operating handle 55 is rotated in a clockwise direction to cause pivotal movement of the actuating arm 20 in a clockwise direction to swing the window to its open position.

It will be noted that the lower wall a of the housing 15 is horizontal, the rear wall b and side walls 0 are vertical, and that the upper wall d at the opposite end of the housing from the worm 27 is inclined to accommodate the operating arm in its open position. It will also be noted that the flanges 16 lie parallel to the rear wall b and are provided with holes having axes parallel to the worm 27.

The present invention also contemplates an alternative mounting for the handle and associated operating elements to allow rotation of the handle about an axis that is inclined to the axis of the worm 27. Such a modified mounting is shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

It will be observed that in Figs. 4 and 5 the mounting element 36 is similar to the element 36 with the exception that its outer portion 38' is arranged at an angle to the inner portion 35. By this variation in structure, the driving gear 45 and operating handle 55 are arranged angularly with respect to the driven gear 32. The teeth of the gears 45 and 32 thus rnesh only at a point offset from their axes to provide a driving engagement. With this arrangement, the axis of rotation of the handle 55 is inclined at an angle of, say, 30 degrees with respect to the vertical plane that is perpendicular to the pivot axis 12.

As a particular feature of improvement, the angular mounting element 36' is reversible so that it may be attached to the housing 15 in either of the positions shown by full lines or broken lines in Fig. 4, due to the diagonal location of the screw holes 43. By this provision, the device may be installed in the position shown in Fig. 1 for convenient operation of a right-handed person, or inverted and installed at the opposite side of the window opening for convenient operation of a left-handed person. Thus, a single device of the type shown in Fig. 4 may be employed to be operated either by a left-handed person or a right-handed person. Furthermore, the window operating device may be installed in other arrangements in which it is located on a sill and may be conveniently arranged so that the handle is inclined upwardly away from the sill regardless of whether it is employed in a window in which the pivot axis, which is now vertical, is on the left side or the right side of the window opening. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 6.

In the casement window illustrated in Fig. 6, two operators are employed to open and close corresponding right and left windows. The operators are of the same type as that described in detail above except that instead of being at the edges adjacent the mouth in which the levers 20 operate, the flanges 16 that are employed for mounting the housings 15 on the window sill are at the sides and the flanges are provided with screw holes that lie perpendicular to the axis of the worm instead of being parallel thereto.

Although only a limited number of forms of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it will be obvious that the invention is not limited thereto but is capable of being employed in other mechanical forms. Various changes, which will now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, may be made in the material, form, details of construction, and arrangement of elements without departing from the invention. It is therefore to be understood that this application for patent is intended to cover all forms of the invention that come within the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A window operator device for use in connection with a window hinged for pivotal movement to open and closed positions relative to a window frame, comprising: a housing attachable to the frame and having an open side normally adjacent said frame when said housing is adhered thereto, said housing also having a wall at its opposite side provided with an opening remote from said frame; an arm pivoted within said housing and projecting from the open side thereof for pivotal movement in a pivot plane normal to the plane of the frame, the outer end of said arm being operatively connectible to the window for pivoting the same to its open and closed positions, said arm having a worm wheel segment concentric with its pivotal axis; a worm rotatable within said housing and meshing with said segment, said worm having its axis normal to the pivotal axis of said arm with one of said worms being disposed closely adjacent to said opening; a driven gear fast with said one end of said worm, said driven gear having radial teeth on an end face thereof located at said opening; a mounting element of elbow shape securable against said wall of the housing to cover said opening, said element having angularly-related, intersecting bores, one of which aligns with the axis of said driven gear to receive the same; a driving gear rotatable in the other bore and having radial gear teeth in an end face, said gear teeth of the driving and driven gears meshing at a point offset from their axes, said driving gear having an axial key projecting from said element; and an operating handle secured to said key, rotation of said handle being in a plane inclined with respect to the axis of said driven gear and effecting rotation of both gears, said mounting element being securable to said housing in either of two opposite positions so as to cause the axis of the driving gear to assume either one of two corresponding oppositely inclined positions relative to said pivot plane, said driving gear being so located within said other bore of said mounting element that the axis of the driving gear intersects the axis of the driven gear adjacent the end faces of said gears in both positions of said mounting element, whereby said driving gear meshes at a first point on said driven gear when said mounting element is secured to said housing in one of its said two positions, and said driving gear meshes at a second point on said driven gear opposed to said first point when said mounting element is secured to said housing in the other of its said two positions.

2. A window operator device for use in connection with a window hinged for pivotal movement to open and closed positions relative to a window frame, comprising: a housing attachable to the frame and having an open side normally adjacent said frame when said housing is adhered thereto, said housing also having a wall at its opposite side provided with an opening remote from said frame; an arm pivoted within said housing and projecting from the open side thereof for pivotal movement in a pivot plane normal to the plane of said frame, the outer end of said arm being operatively connectible to the window for pivoting the same to its open and closed positions, said arm having a worm wheel segment concentric with its pivotal axis; a worm rotatable within said housing and meshing with said segment, said worm having its axis normal to the pivotal axis of said arm with one end of said worm being disposed closely adjacent to said opening internally of said housing; a driven gear directly attached to said one end of said worm, said driven gear having radial teeth on an end face thereof located at said opening; a mounting element of elbow shape securable against said wall of the housing to cover said opening, said element having angularly-related, intersecting bores, one of which aligns with the axis of said driven gear to receive the same; a driving gear rotatable in the other bore and having radial gear teeth in an end face, said gear teeth of the driving and driven gears meshing at a point displaced from the intersection of their axes, said driving gear having an axial key projecting from said element, and having an axial hole; an operating handle having a socket receiving said key; and a screw extending through said other bore and screwed into a threaded hole in said handle to clamp the driving gear and handle together, rotation of said handle being in a plane inclined with respect to the axis of said driven gear and effecting rotation of both gears, said mounting element being securable to said housing in either of two opposite positions so as to cause the axis of the driving gear to assume either one of two opposite- 1y inclined positions relative to said pivot plane, said driving gear being so located Within said other bore of said mounting element that the axis of the driving gear intersects the axis of the driven gear adjacent the end faces of said gears in both positions of said mounting ele ment, whereby said driving gear meshes at a first point on said driven gear when said mounting element is secured to said housing in one of its said two positions, and said driving gear meshes at a second point on said driven gear opposed to said first point when said mounting element is secured to said housing in the other of its said two positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 988,729 Morrow et al Apr. 4, 1911 2,283,862 Peremi et al May 19, 1942 2,373,197 Ostrander Apr. 10, 1945 2,610,054 Reynaud Sept. 9, 1952 2,635,485 Gravenstine et a1 Apr. 21, 1953 

